Category: Outdoors with Kids

Hike to the Flat Top Observation Tower on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Most recently updated September 21st, 2025

Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through or very near areas of North Carolina and Virginia that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

The North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed, along with many other NC State Parks.  That said, the Virginia side of the BRP and many surrounding communities are open for business and could really use your Fall vacation dollars to help rebuild!  

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest area Park, Trail and road repairs. 

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain.
Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

I’ve been driving the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) in North Carolina and Virginia to get between places  for more than 25 years.

But,  I have to admit – until the last couple of years – I have completely neglected Blue Ridge Parkway hikes!

Then last year, a hiking friend introduced me to the  Rock Castle Gorge trail near Rocky Knob on the BRP.  Ever since then I’ve kept an eye peeled for new Parkway hikes I could try.

Tunnel beneath the BRP on a carriage road at Moses Cone Memorial Park.
Tunnel beneath the BRP on a carriage road at Moses Cone Memorial Park.

And this summer… I found some!  🙂

This past season, I hiked some trails in and around Grandfather Mountain State Park  (more on that later) and found myself driving the Parkway more than once to get from my lodgings in Banner Elk, NC to nearby trailheads and attractions.

One afternoon I finished a hike earlier than planned, and spotted  Moses Cone Memorial Park on the way back. 

It was a beautiful day, and I still had a couple of hours until sundown so I  stopped to check it out.

Hike the carriage roads to the Flat Top Observation Tower.
Hike the carriage roads to the Flat Top Observation Tower.

I found beautiful grounds with 25 miles of hikes along old carriage roads, including a  5-mile RT hike to the Flat Rock Observation Tower!

Read on to learn more about the Flat Top Tower hike in Moses Cone Memorial Park and all of the other beautiful bridle and hiking trails you can  experience there, too.

Continue reading Hike to the Flat Top Observation Tower on the Blue Ridge Parkway

New River Gorge National Park – 5-Day Hike Guide

Most recently updated April 27th, 2026

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia is our nation’s 63rd – and newest – National Park.

Rock wall along the Rend Trail in the Thurmond area.
Rock wall along the Rend Trail in the Thurmond area.

The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along 53 miles of the New River from Bluestone Dam to Hawk’s Nest Lake.

In spite of it’s name, the New River is one of the oldest rivers on Earth, and has carved the deepest and longest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains – dropping 750 feet over 50 miles!

More than a million people visit the gorge each year to kayak, canoe, and fish in the river or hike, bike, and camp on the land.  

For the past few years, I’ve been one of them!  

Each Summer, my family has a reunion in Indiana over the July 4th holiday. 

One of the smaller Falls and Sandstone Falls in the Park.
One of the smaller Falls at Sandstone Falls in the Park.

It’s a long drive, so on the return trip I’ve stopped at  New River Gorge National Park to break up the drive and check it out.

The first year, I only had a day at the Park, but this time I scheduled 4 whole days!  I was NOT disappointed 🙂

Read on to find out about the hikes I found there, and how you can go, too!

Or if you prefer video, take a look at the New River Gorge Playlist on IRW YouTube.

Continue reading New River Gorge National Park – 5-Day Hike Guide

Hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park

Most recently updated April 27th, 2026

Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

The Shenandoah National Park is right on the edge of  the areas of North Carolina and Virginia that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

That said, the Park is open and many of the surrounding communities are open for business and could really use your Fall vacation dollars to help rebuild!

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest Park, Trail and road repairs. 

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain.
Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

I made the journey to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia again last Spring, specifically to (finally!) hike the iconic Old Rag summit hike.

Old Rag was my Moby Hike - the one that got away!
Until this year, Old Rag was my Moby Hike – the one that got away!

It was the hike that got away – my Moby Hike!

I’ve had plans to hike Old Rag for the past three years – but each attempt was thwarted by weather or logistics.  

So I went back to try again – and I’m so glad I did! 

It was a perfect-weather weekday in May before all of the families started their Summer vacations, so there were other hikers on the trail, but the place wasn’t over-run.

There’s a long rock scramble to the mountain’s summit that works better with some teamwork – especially if you’re a little bit vertically challenged, like I am 🙂

I conquered Old Rag, then I found a couple of other rock-scrambly hikes in Shenandoah that were a little less daunting to do the next day.

Read on to learn how you can hike Old Rag, and those other hikes too!

Or if you prefer video, take a look at the Shenandoah playlist on IRW YouTube.

Continue reading Hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park

Explore the Rolesville Batholith at Mitchell Mill State Natural Area

Most recently updated July 23rd, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 13 minutes

I’ve been exploring and hiking on trails in North Carolina for more than 20 years, but one thing I’ve neglected – partly because they don’t have many long hiking trails – are the State Natural Areas.   

Though not great for hiking North Carolina State Natural Areas  are good for exploring nature and different habitats in a fairly small space.

This kind of place can be an exciting outdoor adventure for small children, like your kids or grandkids.

Mitchell Mill State Natural Area in Northern Wake County is one such very unique spot to explore.

The 93-acre site is a Registered Heritage Area, and sits atop one of the largest granite domes on the east coast, called the Rolesville Batholith.

Plant life from lichens to full grown trees sit atop the Rolesville Batholith.
Plant life from lichens to full grown trees sit atop the Rolesville Batholith.

Mitchell Mill State Natural area protects this Paleozoic-era granite, and also houses a fragile and rare ecosystem, including native plant communities that can only grow in such a “granitic flatrock” environment.  

Read more to learn how you can visit and explore this unique State Natural Area!

Continue reading Explore the Rolesville Batholith at Mitchell Mill State Natural Area

Hike the Mountains to Sea Trail at Rolling View in Falls Lake

Most recently updated April 24th, 2026

Estimated Reading Time: 11.5 minutes

The Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) runs through or very near areas of North Carolina that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

The Falls Lake section of the MST is open, along with many other NC State Parks and trails in the Eastern part of the State.  That said, Parks and the MST on the Western side of the State have been damaged and may be inaccessible. 

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest area Park, Trail and road repairs before you travel. 

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain.
Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

The Mountains-to-Sea-Trail (MST) is a simple hiking trail that spans almost 1200 miles across North Carolina, from the Great Smoky Mountains in the West to the Outer Banks on the East Coast.

Even though I’ve known about the MST for a good while, I didn’t really start hiking it on purpose until this past year.

MST Day Hike #22 in Winter.
MST Day Hike #22 in Winter.

Lately more and more people have been moving to my local area, and the easy-to-get-to hiking trails have become really crowded – especially on the weekends.

So I’ve had to look a little bit farther away for new trails – and that’s how I started paying more attention to the MST.

As of January 2019, 669 miles of the trail were completed, and even  more have been done since then.

The MST across North Carolina.
The MST across North Carolina.

That’s just over half of the planned MST miles that are now completed in multiple segments across the state!

With temporary routes (for the unfinished parts of the MST) on backroads and bicycle paths, hikers can now follow the MST all the way  across North Carolina.

One of the longest finished segments goes ~60 miles along the Southern shore of Falls Lake, just to the North of Raleigh near Wake Forest.

View of Falls Lake from the trail.
View of Falls Lake from the trail.

Even 60 miles (out of 1200) is an epic hike to most of us – but never fear!

You can hike smaller sections of the MST to make it an overnight backpacking trip, a day trip, or even just a few hours on the trail.

Today, I’ll tell you about the MST, and how you can hike my favorite local MST section (so far): MST Day Hike #22 at Rolling View in Falls Lake Recreation Area.

Continue reading Hike the Mountains to Sea Trail at Rolling View in Falls Lake

Asthma’s Effects on Mental Health

Most recently updated July 7th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes

It’s been a while since I’ve written about anything asthma-related.   

Of course, those of  you living with this chronic illness already know that for us, everything is asthma related 😉

That’s kind-of what I’d like to talk about today…

I'm not really one for sharing my feelings, especially about my chronic asthma.
I’m not  one for sharing my feelings about my chronic asthma.

One reason I started this blog was to share my ongoing quest to enjoy a  “wheeze free” life – in hopes that my experience could help someone else.  

I’ve written posts about what kind of diet and supplements helped, what kind of exercises worked, the latest medications, how to clean the air inside your home – and much more.

But one thing I’ve never written about is how chronic asthma makes you feel.

There are a couple of aspects to that – your emotions (a.k.a. mental health) and physically how it makes you feel.
 
I’ll share my experience – and of course, the latest research – here, in hopes it might help you or someone you care for!
 

Continue reading Asthma’s Effects on Mental Health

Take a Hike Break at Beliveau Farm and Winery

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes
 
Last summer, I spent a great few days hiking the Triple Crown section of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia.
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The Triple Crown trail loop is 35 miles of the best hiking in the Roanoke Valley  and arguably some of the best overlooks in the entire state of Virginia.

Most of my time was spent hiking, but since I did two of the three Triple Crown hikes in the same day, I also had time to take a break from hiking and see some other things in the area.

Overlook at McAfee Knob on the Triple Crown section of the App Trail.
Overlook at McAfee Knob on the Triple Crown section of the App Trail.

At that time, many venues were completely shut down or really restricted due to COVID regulations, but Beliveau Farm and Winery was open (though with safety measures) and I was still able to have a great visit!

Beliveau Farm is located in the Catawba Valley of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, just 12mi from downtown Blacksburg and 20mi from Salem.

They were also only a 30 minute scenic drive from my lodgings near the McAfee Knob trailhead.

The Farm’s hiking trails, scenic views and plenty of picnic areas made the drive well worth while – and the wine was pretty good, too 🙂

Continue reading Take a Hike Break at Beliveau Farm and Winery

Hike the Rock Castle Gorge Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Most recently updated October 15th, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through or very near areas of North Carolina and Virginia that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

The North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed, along with many other NC State Parks.  That said, the Virginia side of the BRP and many surrounding communities are open for business and could really use your Fall vacation dollars to help rebuild!  

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest area Park, Trail and road repairs. 

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain.
Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

I’ve enjoyed driving the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) in North Carolina and Virginia for more than 25 years.

But,  I have to admit – other than some quick roadside waterfall viewing – I have completely neglected Blue Ridge Parkway hikes!

But recently I found out what I’d been missing when I was invited to hike the Rock Castle Gorge Trail at Rocky Knob 🙂

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty.

Flower-lined trail at Shenandoah National Park
Flower-lined trail at Shenandoah National Park

It’s America’s longest linear park, running 469 miles through  Virginia and North Carolina, linking Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Combined with Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway is also a favorite twisty-windey  motorcycle adventure through some beautiful scenery, especially in the Fall. 

Read on to learn more about the Parkway and Rocky Knob Recreation Area hiking trails – including the famous Rock Castle Gorge Trail!

Continue reading Hike the Rock Castle Gorge Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Hike Stone Mountain State Park

Most recently updated October 15th, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes

Stone Mountain State Park is very near areas of North Carolina that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

Stone Mountain is currently closed, along with many other NC State Parks and trails in the Western part of the State.  

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest area Park, Trail and road repairs before you travel. 

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain.
Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

I’ve been visiting Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina for almost 20 years, either with kid in tow, with That Man, or on my own.

My most recent visit was just a few weeks ago –  and the mountain was still just as beautiful as I remembered 🙂

Located on more than 14,100 acres in Wilkes and Alleghany counties in North Carolina, Stone Mountain State Park offers cascading waterfalls, cool mountain streams, and quiet forests to explore.

And of course, the massive 600-foot granite dome of Stone Mountain itself.

There are more than 18 miles of hiking and riding trails, and 20 miles of designated trout waters available in the park.

Can you imagine living in the shadow of the dome on Stone Mountain ?
Can you imagine living in the shadow of the dome on Stone Mountain ?

You can also go rock climbing (with a permit) on the towering granite face of the landmark mountain.

Climbers on the dome look down over the Hutchinson Homestead, a restored mid-19th century mountain farm that rests in it’s shadow.

Read on to learn about the park and area history, hiking trails, and great views just waiting for you to visit!

Continue reading Hike Stone Mountain State Park

Hike Rose River and Cedar Run in Shenandoah National Park

Most recently updated April 27th, 2026

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

The Shenandoah National Park is right on the edge of  the areas of North Carolina and Virginia that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

That said, the Park is open and many of the surrounding communities are open for business and could really use your Fall vacation dollars to help rebuild!

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest Park, Trail and road repairs. 

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain.
Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

I went back to Shenandoah again this Spring, to hike the Rose River Loop, the Cedar Run Circuit and maybe add some more to my list.

It wouldn’t be hard to do, since Shenandoah National Park offers some of the best hiking in Virginia!

I took a break from hiking to explore the Barboursvillle ruins.
I took a break from hiking to explore the Barboursvillle ruins.

I had spent a great week there a couple of years ago, but the trip was over before I had a chance to complete my list of  “must do” hikes – including the Rose River Loop.

And of course the iconic Old Rag hike.

So I had to go back and try again!

Where is Shenandoah National Park?

Shenandoah National Park is only  115 miles from Washington, D.C., 95 miles from Richmond VA, and 250 miles from Raleigh NC.

That’s close enough for a great long weekend or longer family vacation, without the expense of air travel!

My previous Shenandoah visit was for a whole week.  This trip was a quick visit of only 3 nights – which was still enough time to get in a couple of great hikes and see some local sights 🙂

Or if you prefer video, take a look at the Shenandoah playlist on IRW YouTube.

Continue reading Hike Rose River and Cedar Run in Shenandoah National Park